After the salt and pepper shakers I thought I'd try turning a simple bowl. This bowl was turned out of a piece of pear.

The bowl was turned out of a round blank 2 inches deep, and 5" across. The same as the salt and pepper shakers, this was also finished with Hampshire Sheen - Gloss finishing wax.

To make this piece I screwed a faceplate to one end of the blank, and mounted the blank on the lathe. I then shaped the outside of the bowl, and cut out a mortise for the mount the blank on the chuck. Once I was happy with the shape of the bowl, I removed the blank from the lathe and removed the faceplate from the blank. After an important cup of tea break I remounted the blank onto the lathe using my chuck and the mortice I'd prepared, ready for the bowl interior to be removed. Once the bowl interior was removed I got out the sandpaper, and smoothed it out. I started with 80 grit, and worked up to 400 grit. I finished it with a couple of coats of Hampshire Sheen Gloss finishing wax.

For the next bowl I do, I'm going to cut the mortice a little bit deeper, and generally cut out the middle of the mortice a little bit neater.

Overall though I'm quite pleased with how the bowl came out.